Endangered Species, International Trade and the Auto Bailout
President Bush pardons a Missouri farmer found guilty of accidently causing the deaths of bald eagles under the Endangered Species Act.
Barack Obama considers Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) for the key post of U.S. Trade Representative.
A new poll finds that over 60% of Americans oppose a federal bailout for U.S. car makers.
More headlines: listen to the LibertyWeek podcast.
1. ENVIRONMENT
President Bush pardons a Missouri farmer found guilty of accidently causing the deaths of bald eagles under the Endangered Species Act.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Energy Policy Myron Ebell on why protecting property rights is the key to reforming the excesses of the Endangered Species Act:
“The ESA threatens the constitutional rights of all Americans and has violated the rights of countless thousands of landowners. It penalizes people for being good stewards and thereby creates perverse incentives for property owners to do everything they can not to have habitat for endangered species on their land. That’s why we think respecting people’s property rights will also make the ESA much more effective in protecting endangered species.”
2. INTERNATIONAL
Barack Obama considers Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) for the key post of U.S. Trade Representative.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Editorial Director Ivan Osorio on Becerra’s views on free trade:
“When was the last time the U.S.’s top trade official wasn’t a strong advocate for free trade? It may happen in the new Obama Administration…Becerra’s record on supporting free trade is a mixed bag. He voted to hold up the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. He voted for the Peru free trade agreement, but against the Oman FTA and the Central America-DR FTA. He is a strong proponent of including non-trade issues in trade agreements, particularly labor and environmental provisions that could act as protectionist trade barriers by forcing poor countries to adopt rich countries’ standards.”
3. BUSINESS
A new poll finds that over 60% of Americans oppose a federal bailout for U.S. car makers.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Analyst Doug Bandow on why the government should say no to the auto bailout.
“By some accounts the federal government – president, Congress, Treasury Department, and Federal Reserve – have lent/spent more than seven trillion dollars in bailouts. Surely it’s time to say no. And the obvious place to start is with ill-managed companies that would be better served by a bankruptcy filing than a federal hand-out.”
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